Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band characterized by train-sound guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark, all-black stage wardrobe, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black." He traditionally began his concerts by simply introducing himself, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash," followed by his signature song "Folsom Prison Blues".
Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. His other signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous numbers like "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"; a duet with his future wife, June Carter, called "Jackson" (followed by many further duets after their wedding); and railroad songs including "Hey, Porter", "Orange Blossom Special", and "Rock Island Line". During the last stage of his career, Cash covered songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden.
Johnny Cash was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, to Ray Cash and Carrie Cloveree (née Rivers). He was the fourth of seven children, who were in birth order: Roy, Margaret Louise, Jack, J. R., Reba, Joanne, and Tommy (who also became a successful country artist). He was primarily of English and Scottish descent. As an adult he traced his surname to 11th-century Fife, after meeting with the then-laird of Falkland, Major Michael Crichton-Stuart. Cash Loch and other locations in Fife bear the name of his family.
At birth, Cash was named J. R. Cash. When Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force, he was not permitted to use initials as a first name, so he changed his name to John R. Cash. In 1955, when signing with Sun Records, he started going by Johnny Cash.
In March 1935, when Cash was three years old, the family settled in Dyess, Arkansas, a New Deal colony established to give poor families a chance to work land that they had a chance to own as a result. Cash started working in cotton fields at the age of five, singing along with his family while working. The Cash farm experienced a flood during the family's time in Dyess, which led Cash later to write the song "Five Feet High and Rising". His family's economic and personal struggles during the Great Depression inspired many of his songs, especially those about other people facing similar difficulties. Consequently, Cash had sympathy for the poor and working class throughout his life.
Cash was very close to his older brother, Jack. On Saturday May 12, 1944, Jack was pulled into an unguarded table saw at his high school while cutting oak into fence posts as his job and was almost cut in two. He lingered until the following Saturday, when he died. Cash often spoke of the horrible guilt he felt over this incident; according to Cash: The Autobiography, his father was away that morning, but Johnny, his mother, and even Jack himself, all had premonitions or a sense of foreboding about that day. His mother urged Jack to skip work and go fishing with his brother, but Jack insisted on working since the family needed the money at the time. On his deathbed, Jack said he had visions of Heaven and angels. Decades later, Cash spoke of looking forward to meeting his brother in Heaven.
Cash's early memories were dominated by gospel music and radio. Taught guitar by his mother and a childhood friend, Cash began playing and writing songs at the age of 12. When young, Cash had a high-tenor voice, before becoming a bass-baritone after his voice changed.
In high school, he sang on a local radio station. Decades later, he released an album of traditional gospel songs, called My Mother's Hymn Book. He was also significantly influenced by traditional Irish music, which he heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benny radio program.
In 1997, Cash was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Shy–Drager syndrome, a form of multiple system atrophy. According to biographer Robert Hilburn, the disease was originally misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, and Cash even announced to his audience that he had Parkinson's after nearly collapsing on stage in Flint, Michigan, on October 25, 1997. Soon afterwards, his diagnosis was changed to Shy–Drager, and Cash was told he had about 18 months to live. The diagnosis was later again altered to autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The illness forced Cash to curtail his touring. He was hospitalized in 1998 with severe pneumonia, which damaged his lungs.
During the last stage of his career, Cash released the albums American III: Solitary Man (2000) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). American IV included cover songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails commented that he was initially skeptical about Cash's plan to cover "Hurt", but was later impressed and moved by the rendition. The video for "Hurt" received critical and popular acclaim, including a Grammy Award.
June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, at the age of 73. June had told Cash to keep working, so he continued to record, completing 60 more songs in the last four months of his life, and even performed a few surprise shows at the Carter Family Fold outside Bristol, Virginia. At the July 5, 2003, concert (his last public performance), before singing "Ring of Fire", Cash read a statement about his late wife that he had written shortly before taking the stage:
"The spirit of June Carter overshadows me tonight with the love she had for me and the love I have for her. We connect somewhere between here and Heaven. She came down for a short visit, I guess, from Heaven to visit with me tonight to give me courage and inspiration like she always has. She's never been one for me except courage and inspiration. I thank God for June Carter. I love her with all my heart. "
Cash continued to record until shortly before his death. His final recordings were made on August 21, 2003, and consisted of "Like the 309", which appeared on American V: A Hundred Highways in 2006, and the final song he completed, "Engine 143", which was recorded for his son John Carter Cash for a planned Carter Family tribute album.
ON THE LINE
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The next in line is me, 'cause it's my time
Now how long will it be, 'til you end my misery
You better be prepared to linger, when you get to me
The time has come for you to love me, if you ever are
Come to me now, so I can make you mine
I watched them rush to you so fast
It's my time, 'cause I'm the next in line
The next in line will hold your love forever
The next in line is me and here I am
Give me a day or two and I'll get through to you
You'd been my baby long ago, if you'd turned down a few
This old heart can't take much more waitin' for your love
I'm tired and we're runnin' short of time
I'll make you love me more than everyone before
It's my time to try, 'cause I'm the next in line
I stood and watched you take their hearts
And break 'em one by one
My time is comin', so I waited while you had your fun
Now I'm through a-waitin' way behind
It's my time, 'cause I'm the next in line
In Johnny Cash's song "Next in Line," the singer is confident that he will be the next person to be loved by the woman he has been watching from afar. He is so confident that he boasts about how he will make her love him more than anyone before. His desire for her is so strong that he has been waiting patiently while she has been breaking hearts one-by-one. The singer believes that he will be the one to finally hold her love forever. He is tired of waiting for her and wants her to come to him so that he can finally make her his own.
The song reflects the theme of unrequited love, where sometimes one-sided love can lead to relentless pursuit. The singer is confident that he can win her over, by stating that he will wait for her patiently and 'linger' around until she chooses him. The lyrics further show desperation and frustration, as the singer feels like time is running out, and he has been waiting for too long, just to get his chance to be with her.
Overall, "Next in Line" is a song that portrays the emotions of someone who has been waiting for love and feels confident that they will finally get a chance to be with the one they adore. The lyrics show the desperation, frustration, and desire that someone feels when they want to be with their true love.
Line by Line Meaning
The next in line will be someone who loves you
The person who is next in line for your love will be someone who truly loves you.
The next in line is me, 'cause it's my time
I am next in line for your love because it is finally my turn.
Now how long will it be, 'til you end my misery
I am waiting for you to love me and end my pain and suffering. How long will it take?
You better be prepared to linger, when you get to me
When you finally come to me, be prepared to stay for a while and give me your love.
The time has come for you to love me, if you ever are
It is finally time for you to love me, if you ever plan on doing so.
Come to me now, so I can make you mine
Come to me now, so I can have you as mine and we can be together.
I watched them rush to you so fast
I saw other people quickly go to you in hopes of gaining your love and attention.
I waited so I'd be the last
I waited patiently so that I could be the last to try to win your love.
It's my time, 'cause I'm the next in line
It is now my chance and opportunity to try to win your love, because I am next in line.
The next in line will hold your love forever
The person who is next in line for your love will hold it forever.
The next in line is me and here I am
I am the next in line for your love, and I am here and ready for it.
Give me a day or two and I'll get through to you
If you give me a day or two, I will be able to successfully win your love.
You'd been my baby long ago, if you'd turned down a few
I would have had you as my love a long time ago, if you had rejected a few others.
This old heart can't take much more waitin' for your love
My heart has been waiting for your love for a long time, and it cannot take much more.
I'm tired and we're runnin' short of time
I am tired of waiting, and we do not have much time left to be together.
I'll make you love me more than everyone before
I will do everything in my power to make you love me more than anyone before.
It's my time to try, 'cause I'm the next in line
Now is my time to try to win your love, because I am next in line.
I stood and watched you take their hearts
I watched you take the hearts of others before me.
And break 'em one by one
And break those hearts one by one.
My time is comin', so I waited while you had your fun
My opportunity to win your love is coming, so I waited patiently while you had your fun with others.
Now I'm through a-waitin' way behind
I am no longer waiting behind others to win your love.
It's my time, 'cause I'm the next in line
It is now my chance to try and win your love, because I am next in line.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KIMBERLY ANN (NCB) GOSS, MARKKU UULA ALEKSI LAIHO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
on Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam
Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams
I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home